Saitek Cyborg Gamepad Review

Introduction:

When most PC gamers reach for the controls they grab a keyboard and mouse. This is, and has been, the preferred method of manipulation for PC gamers for a long time. But with the ever increasing power of PCs and their games, many have made the switch from consoles to computers. However, some of us haven’t quite committed 100% and still prefer the feel of a gamepad over a mouse and keyboard. When selecting a controller, we usually look for something that looks and feels familiar, but what might be familiar to one person could be alien to another. Saitek has released a product that follows along that line, a Cyborg that is capable of bringing familiarity to both gamers. The Cyborg Rumble Gamepad has done its best to incorporate the styles of both Playstation and Xbox controllers to the PC gamer. This innovative device has the ability to transform itself between both classic layouts and still provide shockingly familiar rumble effects. But how does this gamepad compare to the reigning king, the Microsoft Xbox 360 PC controller? Let’s find out.

"Founded in 1979, Saitek was the first to use microcontrollers to create chess playing games – a market it has dominated ever since. In 1993 Saitek entered the PC games controllers market and since then has grown to become the 2nd largest brand worldwide. All these products are designed by gamers for gamers, to help them get the best out of their favourite PC games." "Continuing innovation and dedication to the needs of our customers has resulted in a product range today which includes Saitek mice, keyboards, headsets, PC gaming controllers loudspeakers and many other PC peripherals. Saitek leads the world with high performance products for PC gamers and stunningly designed peripherals for all PC users."

Closer Look:

The front of the Cyborg Rumble box displays a large picture of the gamepad face up. The “Cyborg” feature is shown underneath; this feature allows the user to swap the positions of the d-pad and left analog stick to their preference. The Cyborg’s compatibility with Windows Vista and XP is listed in the bottom corner box. The back contains a dark silhouette of the gamepad and details the key features of the device in a few different languages.

Each end of the box shows the unique design of the reversible left controls. Notice that the patent for this feature is pending, so it’s unlikely this feature will be seen from other manufacturers.

The top features a photo of the Cyborg Rumble from the top with its name scrolled across the lower edge. The bottom informs users who don’t speak the five common languages that instructions for installation can be found in the package.